Economy Turns Everyone Into a Consultant

With layoffs happening at a rapid rate and no industry being insulated from the turmoil there are going to be a lot more people hanging out their shingle of “consultant” for any number of things. Many people take the opportunity to venture into something more entrepreneurial when they have been unceremoniously dumped by their employer. It makes sense.

This phenomenon is both good and bad. The good news is that there is a lot of knowledge in the marketplace that used to be restricted by their corporate boundaries. The bad news is that knowledge doesn’t always translate into effective business for either the consultant or the buyer of the service. What is the worst case scenario is that people look to reinvent themselves and venture into areas that they are interested but have no real experience in then label themselves as an expert. Caveat emptor has never been more real.

Internet marketing consultants are now growing like a fungus in the wake of these economic times. Here are some thoughts for business owners to consider when making the decision to enlist the help of an ‘expert’.

• Use your gut. While this sounds a bit amateurish I tend to recommend this technique before the usual ask for references routine. My years of experience have shown me that references are usually so ‘canned’ that they have little value. In addition, anyone can say they worked on anyone’s Internet marketing campaign and there is no way to prove it. You are a business person for a reason and you can tell if someone is a good fit or not. Honestly, there may be greater benefit in working with someone who has less ‘expertise’ but stronger people skills and a willingness to show flexibility. In other words, this is someone who is interested in serving you rather than delivering to you.

• Do only what you can handle. Lots of consultants want to make you try everything that they can ‘provide’ using the theory that if you throw enough up against the wall something will stick. This will lead to frustration and will not benefit your business in the long run. Look at what fits your style and your industry and concentrate there. Have success first then experiment if you wish.

• Be optimistic but be realistic. There are simply no guarantees in Internet marketing. There are best practices and opportunity but being in it doesn’t always mean you are going to win it. Life is that way and so is Internet marketing. Silver bullets and magic potions aren’t real so don’t get sold one.

• Be willing to spend. Sure you want to do it cheap. I would suggest you look to do it effectively. You can spend $500 and get no results or spend $2,500 and see a sharp increase in sales and profit. I have found that if you want to be real cheap your results will tend to be real thin.

As always there is more. Would love to hear your thoughts.

FT Takeaway: Internet marketing consultants are multiplying rapidly due to the current economic conditions. Be sure you use some old fashioned common sense and intuition when choosing a provider for these valuable services. Stay real and don’t get sold a bill of goods that cannot be delivered on.